


Artemis and Apollo

by Quantum_Reality



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 18:24:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11087373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quantum_Reality/pseuds/Quantum_Reality
Summary: It's Octavia's fourteenth birthday, and Bellamy shows her something he's been learning. (Or, Bellamy is a huge nerd sometimes)





	Artemis and Apollo

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on one of my Bellamy headcanons, which is that as part of his reading of Roman and Greek mythology and literature, he wants to actually learn to read them in their original languages too - in short, Bellamy is a huge ancient languages nerd at times.
> 
> I also want to thank **DirectorOfShield** for helping beta this and for suggesting the title! (Artemis and Apollo were siblings in Greek mythology) :-)

Today was a special day for Octavia Blake, because it was her fourteenth birthday.

Her mother, just before opening the door to the Ark proper, had said, “Octavia, I’ll bring you back something special later, okay?”

Octavia had beamed, then embraced her mother in a short, intense hug before releasing her grip and carefully hiding out of view of the hallway as her mother left.

Bellamy, for his part, had been away more often than not lately because he was training to become a guard on the Ark. But Bellamy had managed a shift change with someone, so that meant he actually had a day for himself (or, more accurately, she and Bellamy had a day to themselves) for this special occasion.

After her mother had left the room and it was safe to roam within the room, Bellamy had asked Octavia, “So what do you want to do now?”

Octavia wished she could go past the threshold of the door, that seemingly insurmountable barrier that kept her safe from the rest of the Ark. She sighed and, aiming for something more realistic, said, “Why don’t you read me something?”

Bellamy smiled. “Sure. I’ll show you something I’ve been learning, too. Sit at the table, O.”

Octavia seated herself at the small table in the Blakes’ living quarters on the Ark. She watched as Bellamy went to open his small pack in the corner. He produced two old, musty-smelling books and gently rested them on the table next to one another. One of them, which had a red cover, looked to be in somewhat better condition, as the pages weren’t as yellow. On the grey cover of the older-looking one, she could just make out faded golden letters reading “The Iliad”, and smiled to herself. She always liked it when Bellamy would recite the tales of Roman or Greek heroes gone by.

Bellamy sat across from her and opened both books: the grey one, to the first page and the other one, he opened to a section he’d bookmarked. It was clear to her that he’d been reading them already.

Bellamy began reading aloud from the first book, sounding out odd words in a steady tone: “meh-neen ah-ay-de the-ah peh-leh-ee-ah-doh ach-eel-eh-os.” He peered at the book again, then peered at the one next to it and muttered something to himself.

She scrunched her nose and said, “That sounds weird.”

Bellamy looked up at her and smiled slightly. “It’s the _Iliad_ – in ancient Greek. What I just read, it literally goes ‘rage, sing, son of Peleus Achilles’.”

Octavia perked up. “Oh! That’s where ‘Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus’ came from?” (He had read it aloud often enough over the years for her to remember parts of it.)

Bellamy grinned. “Yep. Here, take a look.”

Octavia got off her chair and walked around to Bellamy’s side of the table and peered at the strange letters on the yellowing pages of the weathered book. “That’s ancient Greek?”

“Sort of. It’s been rewritten with modern Greek letters and extra marks to tell you how it’s pronounced. I’m still learning that part, though, as well as how to say the words properly,” said Bellamy as he pointed at the other book, open to a page which Octavia could read. The capital letters of the section heading read, ‘The Alphabet and Pronunciation of Ancient Greek’.

Octavia went to pull her chair around to Bellamy’s side, then sat down again. She frowned slightly and asked, “Why do you want to learn it this way? It’s not like anyone knows this language, right?” At least, Octavia supposed to herself, if Bellamy needed a book to learn ancient Greek from, it couldn’t have been so necessary to digitize the texts so he could read it from a tablet-computer, so that surely meant people didn’t speak it regularly on the Ark.

“Why not, O?” responded Bellamy as he leaned forward again to peer at the next few sentences in the Greek _Iliad_ book.

“Well… is it _useful_?” she wondered. She brushed a stray hair away from her brow and peered at her brother’s profile.

Bellamy made an indistinct noise and then sat back in his chair, turning a bit to look her in the eye. “Something doesn’t have to be useful to want to appreciate it. It’s like why Vera Kane keeps that little tree I told you about. It’s not useful; it doesn’t really exchange enough carbon dioxide for oxygen to help out, but she thinks it’s a good reminder of where we came from – that one day we’ll go back to the ground.”

Bellamy reached out for Octavia’s hand. His hand, clasping hers, was warm and a bit rough to the touch. “And Mom and I appreciate _you_. No matter what anyone else on this Ark thinks, you’re not useless. Ever.”

Octavia’s lips spread into a barely-repressed smile. She leaned over and threw her arms around Bellamy. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me today!”

She felt Bellamy’s chuckle as he returned her embrace. “Just today, huh?”

Octavia let out a small laugh. “Oh, shut _up_.” She grew sober and released Bellamy so she could sit back properly in her chair. “But thank you, so, _so_ much for protecting me and keeping me safe. I know it’s not always easy, knowing I’ve gotta jump under the floor every time I hear a knock at the door. And with today my birthday, too.”

Bellamy sighed. “O, if I could have it any other way—”

Octavia shook her head. “Later, Bellamy; not now, okay? Let’s just… c’mon. You can read me some more of the ancient Greek version of the _Iliad_.”

Bellamy smiled and turned back to his book to continue reading from the old book. And even though she didn’t understand any of the words, it was just nice to have Bellamy around for a while.

**Author's Note:**

> You can contact me at **blogquantumreality** on Tumblr or **quantumreality** on Dreamwidth! :)
> 
> I'd also like to thank **sisterofiris** on Tumblr for discussing the Ancient Greek text and aspects of its pronunciation!


End file.
